But after Manchester United play Southampton on the Sunday and Real Madrid host Esanyol the night before, you can bet your life that millionaires Van Persie and Rodriguez won’t be driving through the night for nine hours to get to Zurich.

But that’s exactly what Roche will be doing as her French club, ASPTT Albi, have a game in Soyaux - ‘the middle of nowhere’, she says - at 3.00pm on the Sunday.

“It’s proving difficult to get to the awards and it’s a bit of a nightmare as there are no flights out of there,” she said yesterday.

“My options are a nine hour drive to Zurich, getting there at 2.00am in time to have a sleep or going back to Albi from Soyaux, going to Toulouse for a flight to Amsterdam and then another to Zurich and get in at 11.30am the day off the awards.

“I think we’ll just try the drive and get it done as I’d like to get there a little earlier and soak up the atmosphere.”

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Having initially been short-listed in a group of 10, which saw the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic fall by the wayside, the 25-year-old insists she is in it to win it.

Roche beamed: “It’s getting to the point where if we can keep pushing it, we could get enough votes to win but the Colombians are all getting behind Rodriquez!

“There’s been unbelievable support so far and hopefully I can go on and win it. I’m surprised by the amount of people who have got behind it - not because I’m a woman but because of the goal itself.

“People who know me know I’m not a cocky player - I’m just happy to represent Ireland and women’s football. I’ll just go with the flow and if I win, brilliant, but it won’t change me in any way.”

Ireland women’s boss Sue Ronan said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for Stephanie and I’m not being biased when I say hers is the best of the three goals.”

Of Roche’s wonder strike against Wexford Youths while she was at Peamount United, Ronan added: “It wasn’t a fluke as Stephaine tries that all the time in training.”

And Ireland team-mate Aine O’Gorman, who provided the assist for the goal, joked: “I’m Steph’s unofficial campaign manager and we want the whole country voting for her.”

Republic of Ireland's Stephanie Roche (Image: INPHO/Donall Farmer)

Stephanie Roche admits life in France is more ‘Je ne sais pas’ than ‘ooh la la’.

That of course translates to ‘I don’t know’ and the Ireland star admits the language barrier means it’s a leap into the unknown.

Back in June, Roche signed a one-year deal with newly promoted French professional outfit ASPTT Albi.

And after biding her time to break into the side, she insists the football side of the move is going well.

But Roche explained: “It’s been very difficult outside of football as I don’t speak great French at the minute. Trying to have conversations is difficult and it’s been hard.

“I’ve good friends in football in Ireland so it’s been difficult to go into an environment where I don’t have many friends.”

But her FIFA Goal of the Year nomination has helped put her new club on the map - and it’s got herself recognised locally.

“I was stopped a coupe of times in supermarkets and asked for selfies,” she laughed, as if embarrassed by it all.

“I didn’t know what they were saying until they said ‘selfie’ and I said ‘Ah! OK!.’ Selfie, it’s universal.”

Knowing it would be a culture shock, Roche only signed a one-year deal on that basis but hasn’t sat down for talks with the club.

“It’s really strange as nobody there speaks English,” she said, adding that a former team-mate used to translate for her but has since moved on.

Wonder goal: Stephanie Roche has received plenty of adulation for her stunning strike

Still under contract, Roche is reluctant to divulge too much about her future beyond next week’s awards bash in Zurich.

But she admitted a move to England or Germany could appeal.

Meanwhile, Roche is one of 21 players in Sue Ronan’s senior squad for a training camp in La Manga and friendly with Norway on January 15.